Latest news with #SlipperyRockUniversity
Boston Globe
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Trump is reshaping a student loan forgiveness program. Some fear politics will decide who qualifies.
Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'That's definitely an indicator for me that this is politically motivated and perhaps will be used as a tool for political punishment,' said Betsy Mayotte, president of the Institute of Student Loan Advisors and one of the advocates asked to review the policy as part of a rulemaking process. Advertisement More than Congress created the program in 2007 to encourage college graduates to work in the public sector, where salaries are often lower than at for-profit companies. The program promises to cancel all remaining debt after borrowers make 120 monthly loan payments while working for any level of government. Currently, nonprofits also are eligible if they focus on certain areas including public interest law, public health or education. Advertisement A federal database of eligible nonprofits includes some that provide grants to transgender youth and their families so they can travel to states that Trump His plan has the potential to block huge numbers of student loan borrowers from cancellation. Those who work for an ineligible employer would no longer be able to make progress toward cancellation, effectively forcing them to find a new job or forgo loan forgiveness. The proposal's definitions of illegal activity largely mirror those laid out by Trump. They include 'aiding or abetting' in the violation of federal immigration law, and supporting any group designated as a foreign terrorist organization. Also on the list are violations of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a law Trump officials have invoked to root out Also considered illegal is 'engaging in the chemical and surgical castration or mutilation of children in violation of Federal or State law.' It says that includes the use of hormone therapy or drugs that delay puberty. It defines children as those under 19. Advertisement It raises concerns that entire hospital systems could become ineligible if a single department provides certain care to transgender youth. Likewise, the federal government could potentially strip the benefit from entire cities that limit cooperation with federal immigration officials. 'I could see entire cities and entire civil structures being targeted,' said Alyssa Dobson, financial aid director at Slippery Rock University and a member of the rulemaking panel. It could also give the administration another tool in its 'This unfortunately may allow them to further chase the undesirable institutions, in their view,' she said. When determining whether an employer should be deemed ineligible, the department's proposal would take into account court judgments and other legal findings. But it leaves room for at least some degree of subjectivity, giving the education secretary the authority to exclude organizations without proof of a conviction or settlement. Only one negotiator opposed the proposal, the Education Department noted. Several negotiators on the rulemaking panel said they took issue with the proposal, but voted in favor of tweaks they felt improved the rule. An Education Department spokesperson said the agency 'has an obligation to prevent unlawful conduct and ensure that employers in the PSLF program are not complicit in illegal activities.' If used widely, the policy could worsen shortages of doctors and nurses, said Emeka Oguh, chief executive of PeopleJoy, a company that helps employers provide student loan relief. A member of the panel, he encouraged the Education Department to use the power surgically, going after individual hospital divisions rather than systems as a whole. Advertisement Oguh said department officials were unable to provide examples of organizations that might be found to be involved in illegal activities. When pressed for detail, officials said it would not be considered illegal for a hospital to treat an immigrant in the country illegally, he said. Less certain was how the department would handle teachers or schools teaching lessons considered DEI. 'There was a lot of ambiguity there,' Oguh said. Some others raised concerns with a provision that requires employers to certify they do not engage in illegal activities. Failure to certify could also render an organization ineligible, raising the risk that paperwork problems could jeopardize cancellation for huge numbers of borrowers. The department said it's open to making changes based on the panel's concerns. Ultimately, it's free to shape the proposal as it pleases. The agency is now preparing a formal proposal that will undergo a public comment period before it's finalized. It would be expected to take effect in July 2026. Last week, the Education Department thanked the experts and said they 'helped fulfill one of President Trump's promises to ensure that PSLF does not subsidize organizations that are breaking the law.'
CBS News
18-06-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Riverside wins PIAA baseball title as pitcher Zach Hare makes history
Riverside High School's baseball team won the PIAA 3A Championship last week and its star pitcher made history in the process. It was a milestone win for Riverside, but there's a lot more to the playoff run. Riverside star pitcher Zach Hare set a new national record this past season for the most consecutive no-hit innings. Hare, a Slippery Rock University recruit, racked up 36 & 1/3 consecutive no-hit innings en route to helping lead his team to the PIAA 3A title this year with a win over Mt. Carmel. "It was one no hitter and I was like "Oh, that's cool" then another and another and I was like what's going on here," Hare said. "I went on Maxpreps and saw I beat a national record for postseason no hits and I was like 'Holy smokes.' So I'm still trying to take it all in because now that the season's over I can sit back and look back on it without having to worry about another game." Hare went on to say he's still in disbelief about his pitching milestone, attributing part of the success to his defense, who made the plays necessary in the outfield to keep the streak alive and keep the team alive through its postseason run. "When we pick our goals we try to be realistic and the kids all felt winning the state championship was realistic," said Riverside head coach Dan Oliastro." Oliastro, 81, is in his 57th season as the head coach at Riverside and is now six for six in the PIAA title game. Oliastro's teams also won state championships in 2005, 2006, 2011, 2012, and 2023. "People ask me about all the accolades," Oliastro said. "To me, it's the process. It's the day to day involvement with these kids." Oliastro said there was one point in his career when he thought about leaving, but former players wouldn't let him. "He heard that I was thinking about giving it up and he said 'Coach you can't quit,'" Oliastro said. "You don't believe how many kids you're touching and helping." Oliastro says he still feels like a kid out on the diamond after more than five decades and that he doesn't really have a timeline on when, or if he'll walk away from the game. "I'm still like a little kid," Oliastro said. "I'm still like a little kid in the backyard playing wiffle ball with my brother. I always talk to my agent. My agent never makes a mistake." For Hare, Oliastro and Riverside, it was quite the end to a baseball season with a PIAA title and a new national record.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Slippery Rock star invited to Steelers rookie minicamp
PITTSBURGH, Pa. (WKBN) – Slippery Rock University defensive back Eddie Faulkner IV has been invited to participate in the Pittsburgh Steelers Rookie Minicamp on a tryout basis. Faulkner, who is the son of Steelers running backs coach Eddie Faulkner, attended the University of Pittsburgh's NFL pro day earlier this spring. 'This is awesome for Eddie and for our program to have another guy getting a shot to experience an NFL minicamp,' said SRU head coach Shawn Lutz. 'Not only was Eddie an excellent player that did it all for us on the field over the last four years, he was also an Academic All-American that excelled in the classroom and represented the true meaning of a student-athlete.' Faulkner was a two-time All-PSAC honoree as a defensive back and also earned All-Region and All-America honors as a safety following the 2023 season. He started all 28 games over the last two years, helping The Rock reach the national quarterfinals in 2023 and the national semifinals in 2024. Over four seasons, Faulkner appeared in 52 career games with 36 starts. He tallied 160 total tackles, 15.0 tackles for loss, 7.0 sacks, five interceptions and 17 passes defended. He also forced seven career fumbles, recovered four fumbles, blocked one kick and scored one defensive touchdown. Faulkner becomes the 10th Slippery Rock player to receive at least an invite to an NFL Rookie Minicamp since 2015. The Steelers' rookie mini-camp runs from May 9 to 11. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Howland softball standout looking to add more school records this season
HOWLAND, Ohio (WKBN) — Howland senior Brooke Tatar is a three-time First Team All-Conference softball player and one of the most dominant pitchers in school history. 'I feel that I have that swagger of like, I'm going to be the best,' Tatar said. 'I feel very positive that I'm going to strike this girl out, and just knowing that my team's behind me, no matter the situation. I'm just very confident in my work.' Nominate a Student Athlete of the Week Tatar surpassed 300 career strikeouts last season and is quickly approaching 400 this season. But she is just as impressive at the plate. Tatar leads the team in batting average, broke a school record for runs batted in, and is chasing the single-season homerun record this year. Which begs the question, would she rather hit a homerun, or strikeout a homerun hitter? 'I would say striking out the power hitter,' said Tatar with a smile. 'A couple of weeks ago, I struck out a girl going to Georgia, which is crazy to me. So playing against her was really awesome, and it just helped me gain a lot of confidence and positivity.' Tatar is committed year-round to softball with her travel team and will continue playing next year at Slippery Rock University. But she is just as competitive in the classroom. Tatar will graduate tri-alpha with a 4.2 grade point average. 'It is stressful at times, but I've been playing high level travel ball since I was young, so it's really taught me about time management and what I really need in everyday life,' added Tatar. 'I do take academics very seriously. If I get a B, it's OK. I'm not too mad about it, but I really do try to take my hard work and make sure it's the best of what I can do.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Civil rights complaint filed against Slippery Rock University over efforts to diversify STEM
An out of state group has filed a federal civil rights complaint against Slippery Rock University and three other universities in Pennsylvania. The complaint was filed by the Equal Protection Project against the Keystone Louis Stokes Alliance. It comes amid the Trump Administration's efforts to shut down diversity, equity and inclusion programs. The group sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights in Philadelphia Tuesday. The Keystone Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation is made up of Slippery Rock University, Stroudsburg University, Millersville University and West Chester University. The program the alliance is participating in is a national science foundation program. The Equal Protection Project says it discriminates on the basis of race, color, and/or national origin, in violation of Title VI and the 14th Amendment. The program aims to improve recruitment, retention and graduation rates in STEM fields. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The program is available to minority students and provides things like academic support and mentorship. The Equal Protection Project is a nonprofit, anti-affirmative action group that is based in Rhode Island. The groups says it seeks 'to ensure equal protection under the law and non-discrimination by the government' and 'opposes racial discrimination in any form.' Channel 11 reached out to Slippery Rock University, but the school is not commenting at this time. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
